Episode feels so slow because out of all the characters, the show decides to focus on Caroline. Caroline? Why? Yes, she's now a vampire. So what? She's the least interesting character on the show.
Tyler learns from his uncle that they are something more than human. They don't reveal what they are yet but of course we're guessing vampire.
Bonnie demonstrates how powerful she is by almost killing Damon. If Elena hadn't stopped her, she would have. This sets up an interesting dynamic. I'm sure Damon won't let this attempted murder pass without some type of payback.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
SMALLVILLE - Season 7.20 - ARCTIC
Season 7 ends with Lex and Clark in the Fortress of Solitude. Lex now knows Clark's identity. He then sets out to destroy the Traveler and we see the Fortress crumble, pieces of crystal raining down upon them.
The showrunners always manage to end their seasons with a fantastic cliffhanger. This one isn't nearly as good as season's past but it's good enough to compel us to come back for more.
Episode also brings us the end of Lana and Clark's relationship. She's in love with him but realizes that he means more to the world and is needed by everyone so she leaves, broken-hearted. Of course, she would've realized this once she learned his identity so this doesn't seem quite as heart-breaking as it should. Plus their relationship has been so up and down, we've gotten tired of it.
Jimmy proposes to Chloe in this episode.
Series has grown tired and looks as if it has overstayed its welcome.
The showrunners always manage to end their seasons with a fantastic cliffhanger. This one isn't nearly as good as season's past but it's good enough to compel us to come back for more.
Episode also brings us the end of Lana and Clark's relationship. She's in love with him but realizes that he means more to the world and is needed by everyone so she leaves, broken-hearted. Of course, she would've realized this once she learned his identity so this doesn't seem quite as heart-breaking as it should. Plus their relationship has been so up and down, we've gotten tired of it.
Jimmy proposes to Chloe in this episode.
Series has grown tired and looks as if it has overstayed its welcome.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
THE SOPRANOS - Season 3.7 - UNIVERSITY
THE SOPRANOS is filled with little moments that are absolutely hysterical throughout its series. In this episode, we get a scewne where Ralphie's hooker proudly brings him a poptart and asks him if it's alright as if she has just spent four hours slavnig over a stove preparing it.
Episode delves into Meadow's relationship with Noah at school. She's in love and thus is shocked when he breaks it off with her. There's sure to be ramifications from this.
Ralphie is shown to be a crazed psychopath. First he hits the club's bouncer with a chain to the head and then he kills his hooker/dancer when she disrespects him in front of his friends. Tony gives Ralphie a beat which sets the stage for an upcoming confrontation.
Episode is good. The big difference between THE SOPRANOS and a series like SONS OF ANARCHY is, even though the characters are bad, they're likeable.
Episode delves into Meadow's relationship with Noah at school. She's in love and thus is shocked when he breaks it off with her. There's sure to be ramifications from this.
Ralphie is shown to be a crazed psychopath. First he hits the club's bouncer with a chain to the head and then he kills his hooker/dancer when she disrespects him in front of his friends. Tony gives Ralphie a beat which sets the stage for an upcoming confrontation.
Episode is good. The big difference between THE SOPRANOS and a series like SONS OF ANARCHY is, even though the characters are bad, they're likeable.
Friday, January 27, 2012
SONS OF ANARCHY - Season 3.1 - SO
The season opener deals with Jax's grief over his son being kidnapped. Unable to deal, he pushes Tara away. The gang tries to dig up leads but the trail has grown cold.
In the end, the Sons attend the Prospect's funeral only to have a van tear down the street with a gunman opening up fire at everyone.
This is the way to kick off a season in style. We've got heavy emotion and big action.
Meanwhile, Gemma's on the lam. She goes to visit her father who's suffering from dementia. Not quite sure what this adds to the plot but I'm willing to keep watching to find out.
In the end, the Sons attend the Prospect's funeral only to have a van tear down the street with a gunman opening up fire at everyone.
This is the way to kick off a season in style. We've got heavy emotion and big action.
Meanwhile, Gemma's on the lam. She goes to visit her father who's suffering from dementia. Not quite sure what this adds to the plot but I'm willing to keep watching to find out.
THE SOPRANOS - Season 3.5 - ANOTHER TOOTHPICK
Artie's in love with Chris' girl? Since when? Was there even a hint of this in a past episode? This plot development seems to come out of nowhere.
Uncle Junior has cancer.
Burt Young makes a powerful guest appearance in this episode, playing a deathly sick character who takes a hit assignment just to feel alive again.
Charles Dutton also guest stars as a cop who stops Tony and gives him a speeding ticket. Enraged, Tony, using his contacts, gets the cop reassigned to the basement where he's not eligible for overtime any longer. Tony then sees the cop working at a Home Depot-like store to make ends meet. Tony feels sorry for his actions.
If you ever want to see an example of a director bringing material to life, check out when Jack Bender does in the opening scene. We see a shot of Tony not saying a word. We then see he's in his therapist's office. This is fine. We see the two of them sitting there, uncomfortable. Bender then shifts the camera revealing that Tony's sitting next to his wife. That's the reason for the uncomfortable feeling. By choosing when to reveal and conceal, Bender is able to create a big laugh out of a simple scene. Excellent.
Uncle Junior has cancer.
Burt Young makes a powerful guest appearance in this episode, playing a deathly sick character who takes a hit assignment just to feel alive again.
Charles Dutton also guest stars as a cop who stops Tony and gives him a speeding ticket. Enraged, Tony, using his contacts, gets the cop reassigned to the basement where he's not eligible for overtime any longer. Tony then sees the cop working at a Home Depot-like store to make ends meet. Tony feels sorry for his actions.
If you ever want to see an example of a director bringing material to life, check out when Jack Bender does in the opening scene. We see a shot of Tony not saying a word. We then see he's in his therapist's office. This is fine. We see the two of them sitting there, uncomfortable. Bender then shifts the camera revealing that Tony's sitting next to his wife. That's the reason for the uncomfortable feeling. By choosing when to reveal and conceal, Bender is able to create a big laugh out of a simple scene. Excellent.
BANSHEE
Finished this teleplay by Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler. It's Alan Ball's new series on Cinemax. Series is about an ex-con newly released from prison. He ends up in Banshee, Pennslyvania where he finds himself in a pub drinking with the bartender and a stranger who reveals that he's the new Sheriff of Banshee and starts work on monday.
In come two thugs and soon everyone is drawing guns. It jumps off in a hurry and the Sheriff is shot dead. Our ex-con though is a man of many moves and is able to kill the two thugs.
Our lead then goes to lookup an old flame who has moved on to another life. She's changed her name and is now married to the District Attorney and has two kids. We learn that our lead and this flame once stole ten million dollars worth of diamonds. The lead has come for them. The flame tells him that she got rolled by some Serbians and doesn't have any cash. We also learn that there's an old gangster named Rabbit still looking for them.
With nowhere to go and wanting to stay close to his flame, our ex-con takes on the identity of the dead Sheriff and goes about playing cop.
Along the way, we meet Kai Proctor, Banshee's crimelord. Kai's father is Amish. Kai has turned away from that lifestyle and now lives in wealth.
During a party welcoming the new Sheriff, a thug comes for Proctor, shooting up the place. Our ex-con (who now goes by the dead Sheriff's name of Lucas Hood) shoots the thug dead.
The pilot ends with Rabbit telling his grisly looking underling that he wants our couple found.
And with that, this series gets off to a kick-ass start. This is how you get your series rolling. You need a bang and this pilot provides an explosive one.
The characters are cool. The action is there. The motivations are set up quickly. We're in right off the bat. Alan Ball's got another hit on his hands.
In come two thugs and soon everyone is drawing guns. It jumps off in a hurry and the Sheriff is shot dead. Our ex-con though is a man of many moves and is able to kill the two thugs.
Our lead then goes to lookup an old flame who has moved on to another life. She's changed her name and is now married to the District Attorney and has two kids. We learn that our lead and this flame once stole ten million dollars worth of diamonds. The lead has come for them. The flame tells him that she got rolled by some Serbians and doesn't have any cash. We also learn that there's an old gangster named Rabbit still looking for them.
With nowhere to go and wanting to stay close to his flame, our ex-con takes on the identity of the dead Sheriff and goes about playing cop.
Along the way, we meet Kai Proctor, Banshee's crimelord. Kai's father is Amish. Kai has turned away from that lifestyle and now lives in wealth.
During a party welcoming the new Sheriff, a thug comes for Proctor, shooting up the place. Our ex-con (who now goes by the dead Sheriff's name of Lucas Hood) shoots the thug dead.
The pilot ends with Rabbit telling his grisly looking underling that he wants our couple found.
And with that, this series gets off to a kick-ass start. This is how you get your series rolling. You need a bang and this pilot provides an explosive one.
The characters are cool. The action is there. The motivations are set up quickly. We're in right off the bat. Alan Ball's got another hit on his hands.
666 PARK AVENUE
Finished this teleplay by David Wilcox which is set up at ABC. Pilot's about The Drake Building that's run by a Devil-like figure named Gavin Doran, a nefarious guy that makes devilish deals in exchange for your soul.
In the opening sequence we meet Malcolm Hartwell, a renowned violinist who's ten year career is up. Turns out, he didn't have enough talent to reach the heights of his profession and made a deal with Gavin to become the best. Terms of the deal are now over and Malcolm gets pulled back into the Drake building after unsuccessfully trying to escape...through a small hole.
We then meet our unsuspecting leads - Jane and Henry - who get jobs as the new building managers. Along with the position comes a posh apartment that they immediately fall in love with.
Most of the building's residents have made deals with Gavin. One tenant, John Barlow, wants to be with his dead wife. She previously committed suicide. Gavin grants him this wish but in order for his wife to stay alive, Barlow must murder people at Gavin's command. When Barlow refuses to do this any longer, the walls of his room swallow him whole.
We realize Henry's gotten the job because he works for the Mayor in City Planning and is involved with a piece of property that Gavin covets.
Can't really see this concept flying. It's not horrific enough to satisfy an audience and because of this, the drama seems childish since the scares aren't believable.
Pass.
In the opening sequence we meet Malcolm Hartwell, a renowned violinist who's ten year career is up. Turns out, he didn't have enough talent to reach the heights of his profession and made a deal with Gavin to become the best. Terms of the deal are now over and Malcolm gets pulled back into the Drake building after unsuccessfully trying to escape...through a small hole.
We then meet our unsuspecting leads - Jane and Henry - who get jobs as the new building managers. Along with the position comes a posh apartment that they immediately fall in love with.
Most of the building's residents have made deals with Gavin. One tenant, John Barlow, wants to be with his dead wife. She previously committed suicide. Gavin grants him this wish but in order for his wife to stay alive, Barlow must murder people at Gavin's command. When Barlow refuses to do this any longer, the walls of his room swallow him whole.
We realize Henry's gotten the job because he works for the Mayor in City Planning and is involved with a piece of property that Gavin covets.
Can't really see this concept flying. It's not horrific enough to satisfy an audience and because of this, the drama seems childish since the scares aren't believable.
Pass.
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